It's no secret that the Cowboys hope first-round pick Byron Jones can emerge as an immediate starter in the secondary.
According to safety Barry Church, the former UConn cornerback is off to a good start.
"Aw, he's a freak athlete. He has tremendous hands. He never lets that ball bobble," Church told KESN-FM on Tuesday. "I definitely see him out going up with the receivers for contested balls and bringing them down. He can jump with the best of them. He just seems like he's super athletic and willing to learn. I'm excited for him."
Jones is penciled in to start alongside Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick, all but ending the Morris Claiborne experiment in Dallas.
Drawing comparisons to Prince Amukamara, Jones also offers the requisite size and versatility to play safety. For now, the 6-foot-1, 199-pound rookie gives defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli a longer corner who can battle for the ball with his insane 44 1/2-inch vertical jump.
While the Cowboys didn't address their hole in the backfield, Dallas didn't expect to find Jones at No. 27 overall. Look for him to contribute immediately to a secondary that finished 26th in the league against the pass last season.
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